This invention relates generally to the fabrication of integrated circuits.
In the fabrication of integrated circuits, a gate electrode may be utilized as a mask for forming source and drain junctions. The source and drain junctions may include an extension or tip which extends from the region underneath the gate electrode to a deeper source drain region.
In connection with P-type transistors, boron is commonly utilized for the deeper source drain junction. Boron diffuses more than N-type impurities because of transient enhanced diffusion (TED). The small size of the boron atom and its tendency to diffuse through interstitial motion results in increased diffusion. The transient enhanced diffusion of boron results in deeper and less highly doped P-typed source drain regions.
It is important to increase the doping density of the source drain extensions as device geometries shrink. This increase in density allows the P-type source drain extension resistivity to be reduced. Reducing the resistivity of the P-type extensions allows transistor drive current densities to scale appropriately so long as the dose can be successfully activated during an anneal. The drive currents are directly related to the speed of the resulting transistors.
Conventionally, transient enhanced diffusion is counteracted by implanting fluorine just below the P-type source drain extension implant. During the first few milliseconds of activation anneal, the fluorine ties up the boron briefly, limiting its interstitial diffusion. This limiting of interstitial diffusion has the effect of reducing the boron diffusion by 10 to 20 percent after activation. This reduction of boron diffusion increases the dopant density and reduces the resistivity of the layer.
However, in order to further scale transistors, to improve the dopant density and resistivity, it would be desirable to further reduce the transient enhanced diffusion.